The Nine Yard Sari

Posted on 24/04/2013 by Anu M

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I did a couple of posts on the nine yard sari.  Almost impossible to trace a cohesive history with my limited research. But that does not mean one can’t appreciate the style as is!

A bit on the nine yard sari as worn in Tamil Nadu.

And the Maharashtrian version.

How it can be very modern.

In the 1910s and 1920s Bombay painters painted the Goan/Maharashtrian sari style a good deal. Most are plain gold bordered saris and the whole effect is deshabille and mildy erotic. Here is AX Trindade‘s painting and here is LN Taskar‘s.

And an answer to a query on nine yard saris in dance (quick answer: I don’t know!).

There are plenty of links on how to wear the sari so I haven’t included it.

Posted in 19th century, Art, Colonial, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, Indian Dress, Paintings, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Cup of Wine

Posted on 24/04/2013 by Anu M

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The drinking post. 

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Himalayan Costumes

Posted on 24/04/2013 by Anu M

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More at tumblr.

 

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Update

Posted on 17/04/2013 by Anu M

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Just an update that there is a change in the name of the tumblr site and you might want to book mark it.

http://vintageindianclothing.tumblr.com/

Some of the links in previous posts here would have also changed.

New Posts there:

Sometimes its perfectly OK to be blouseless (Hemen Majumdar really really loves the plain diaphanous sari bordered with gold)

Swing Time

The beauty and eroticism of bare feet  (also the pic for this post) and some shoe porn for our modern times.

In the Himalayas

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Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

Posted on 12/04/2013 by Anu M

z4Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (d 3 April 2013) is probably better known for her collaboration with Merchant-Ivory on their period dramas.  But early on the trio made a number of movies set in India based on Jhabvala’s books/scripts. A few pics from the 1960s.

1) The Householder (1963) starring (the very genetically blessed) Leela Naidu and Shashi Kapoor.  The couple in the novel are conservative and middle-class, I think the sari is tied UP aka Gujarati style.

2) Shakespeare Wallah (1965) again with Shashi Kapoor. And Madhur Jaffrey as a Hindi movie star.

3. Bombay Talkie (1970) also with Shashi Kapoor. Aparna Sen (in the orange sari – the bun, the earring pinned to it, so late 60s) is the film star wife.   And you know you want to listen to Typewriter Tip Tip Tip.

The author (apparently the only person to win a Booker and an Oscar – make that two) in a sari.

Posted in 1960s, Cinema, fashion, Indian Cinema, Novels, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Bangles Post

Posted on 10/04/2013 by Anu M

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Soon after, a woman came in, with a large basket full of churees for the arms (bracelets), which were made of rings of glass, ornamented with beads. Every body at the wedding, from the Begam to the youngest slave, had churees put on their arms; I was also decorated. These rings are extremely small; to put them on requires considerable art, it being necessary to mull the hand, and render it very pliant, before it can pass through so very small a circumference as that of the churee. (From Fanny Parkes’ very entertaining early 19th century book Pilgrim in search of the Picturesque).

The use of glass bangles probably dates back to medieval times though of late they have been replaced by metal bangles, especially in the metros (a bit on child labour practices in the glass bangle industry).  And a bit on Sarojin Naidu and her poem on bangles.

Posted in Jewellery, Vintage, Women | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Nautch Post

Posted on 03/04/2013 by Anu M

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Ongoing posts on Indian dance, particularly in the 19th/early 20th century.

This painting is Edwin Lord Weeks’  Nautch Girls emerging from the Taj Mahal. Weeks’  paintings of India have a number of quotidian details and I particularly like this one.

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Holi

Posted on 28/03/2013 by Anu M

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And Holi is past but any day is good enough to enjoy Chughtai’s painting of Radha and Krishna playing Holi.

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The 70s Post

Posted on 28/03/2013 by Anu M

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A little bit on the 70s-era of Khatau Terene, Bombay Dyeing Polyester, 70s prints and little matchy blouses made of rubia or 2 by 2 fabric.

And a bit on the middle of the road cinema and its fashions in the decade.

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The Royalty Post

Posted on 28/03/2013 by Anu M

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“The Maharaja of Indore came to the studio to be photographed, also in Western clothes-sack suit and formal evening dress. He was young, tall and very elegant“ 

Cartier wearing aesthete, photographed by Man Ray (a particularly fruitful photo session) and Bassano, painted by Bernard Boutet De Monvel  (he also painted the Maharaja’s equally elegant wife) and owner of an Art Deco residence – I think its safe to say that Yeshwantrao Holkar II (surely someone so posh must have had a nickname!) was a poster boy for Indian elegance in the 1920s.

The painting is one of few portraits of Indian royalty I like -Yeshwantrao is wearing traditional clothing (the headgear was typical of Marathas, I think it is called the Shindeshahi/Sindeshai) but the jewellery and clothes are understated and the colours not in the least bit overwhelming (the Holkar colours were I think white and red).

Posted in 1920s, British Raj, India, Indian men, Paintings, Photography, Royalty, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments